Who made the grade? This week's editorial report card

The Report Card issues grades A through F, and incompletes where necessary, to a variety of news items in this space. Got an idea that makes the grade? Email cblake@citizentimes.com.

A to the legacy of C.D. Spangler Jr., who championed affordability during 11 years (1986-97) as president of the University of North Carolina system. Spangler, who died Sunday at age 86, worked to keep tuition low and pushed the role of the universities as an economic driver. “Low tuition is not a gift, It’s an investment in these students. They go to work and pay that back over a lifetime,” he said. “The first in his family to go to college, Dick never forgot who our public universities were meant to serve,” said Margaret Spellings, current UNC president.

F to the continued refusal of Buncombe County to release documents that would help the public better understand the final years of Wanda Greene’s tenure as county manager. The documents relate to Greene’s leave time, the forged signature of former County Commission chair David Gantt, and correspondence with the U.S. attorney. Greene and her son Michael face federal fraud and conspiracy charges. Wanda Greene also is charged with embezzlement and money laundering. Michael Greene has agreed to a plea deal, according to federal court filings.

A to the project to digitize slave records statewide. Nearly $300,000 was awarded by the National Historic Publications and Records Commission to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro to fund the expansion of a project to digitize nearly 10,000 slave deeds and bills of sale from 26 counties across the state. The project is modeled in part after the Buncombe County slave deeds project that Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger began in 2012, after realizing that slave deeds and bills of sale were property records, and therefore were housed in his office.

C to the initiative utilizing massive amounts of electricity to boil off contaminants in the soil at the former CTS facility on Mills Gap Road. CTS manufactured industrial switches and resistors for more than 20 years before closing in 1986. The soil beneath the now-demolished plant was contaminated with fuel oil and trichloroethylene, a solvent suspected of causing various illnesses. We would rate the cleanup higher were it were not so overdue, coming nearly 20 years after contamination first was discovered. Further, it probably is only the first stage.

A to Buncombe County commissioners for eliminating fares until June 30 on the Trailblazer bus routes that connect outlying communities to the east, west and north to the Asheville bus system. The county hopes the move will increase ridership, in which case it should be extended. It certainly should decrease boarding times and save on fare-collection costs. For more information about using the Trailblazers to travel within the county or to connect to ART and Haywood County Transit, visit buncombe county.org/mm or call 828-250-6750.

F to the grisly history of violence at Lanesboro Correctional Institution east of Charlotte, as outlined in litigation against a former warden. The warden, Lawrence Parsons, was acquitted by jurors who deiced he was not indifferent to the situation. Jeffrey Wall, who headed the prison’s Union Unit, was fired after he was barred from the prison and tried to force his way back in to retrieve the knives, homemade shanks, metal rods and videos hidden in his office ceiling, according to his dismissal letter. Lanesboro is being converted into a women’s prison.

A to the College and Career Readiness program at Southwestern Community College in Sylva, which helps students who dropped out of high school get their education back on track. “We are extremely proud of … all these graduates who came back to school,” said Kay Wolf, who oversees the program. “Every single one of them has overcome challenges in their past, and they all have a brighter future because of what they’ve accomplished here.” Twenty-seven graduates of the program received High School Equivalency certificates recently. Well done.

A to the exhibit at the Rural Heritage Museum at Mars Hill University of late 19th Century objects once used by Appalachian homesteaders in Western North Carolina. Objects on display through Dec. 30 include spinning wheels, looms, farm tools, hand-wrought objects for household use, silver, a pump organ, and other unique objects of cultural heritage. The museum is open 11 to 5 Monday-Saturday and by appointment. It is in Montague Hall on the university campus. Admission is free. To learn more, call 828-689-1400 or visit mhu.edu/museum